I quietly slipped past the distracted guards and into the service elevator. None of their telepathic implants could read me, and so as long as they weren’t looking at me, I didn’t even exist.
I rode the elevator down into eerie silence. As the elevator cage came to a halt, I climbed to the top of it. The door slid open and two guards looked in. I leapt from my hiding place and knocked them both down.
Before they could get up I jumped to my feet and swept up their guns. As they looked up at me, fear passed across their faces. These days, no one seems to understand the concept of a poker face.
“Sorry,” I said, then touched their minds with a bit of nothingness. Not enough to kill, but enough to incapacitate them for a while, until their brains could recover from the shock.
I tossed their weapons aside and headed down the corridor. It wouldn’t be long before the guards were discovered, and I still had to locate the room where my family was being held.
I searched door after door until I came around a bend and saw six guards lined up in front of a door. They were lazily talking among themselves and hadn’t yet noticed me. I pulled out my rifle and quickly opened fire on their position.
A coldness passed over me as I marched forward, firing mercilessly into their number. They had made me a monster, and now they would have to deal with the consequences of their creation.
The door flew open and more guards poured out, running right into my line of fire. Some of them dove back into the room for cover, and I had to hold my fire. I couldn’t see into the room to know the position of my wife and daughter.
I sprinted down the corridor before they could recover enough to retaliate. As I approached the door, I risked pausing to focus my power, and let the aura of nothingness just barely precede me into the room. I heard the satisfying screams of mortal minds trying to cope with absolute nothing. Then I entered the room.
My wife and daughter were seated a few feet away. Agent Mikian stood behind them, holding a gun to my daughter’s head. “Back off!” he ordered.
I looked around me. All of his men were on the floor, either dead from my attack or incapacitated by the nothingness. “It’s over, Mikian. Let them go and you might live.”
“No, I don’t think you understand. If you don’t leave right now, I will kill her,” he said.
“No you won’t. Because then there will be nothing to stop me from unleashing my full power on you and everyone in this building,” I said.
His grip on the gun weakened and sweat poured down his face. “Maybe so. But she’ll still be dead.”
I continued to walk toward him. “No, she won’t. You care more about your life than hers, so you won’t kill her.” I wanted to reach out with my power, but he could easily kill her before I’d built up enough energy to neutralize him.
In a flash he swung his arm up to fire at me, but my daughter tipped back her chair and fell into him. His shot went wide, and I was on him before he could recover.
“My brother will be most disappointed if I kill you before he arrives,” I said.
Agent Mikian’s eyes went wide. “You’re working with him? How could you?”
“Because, as evil as he is, he did not go after my family.” I bound his arms and then freed my wife and daughter. Once they were free, I tied him to the chair he’d had my daughter in. “I’ll let him know you’re waiting for him.”
I led my family out of the building and up the service elevator. When we came out into the lobby, Samuel was waiting for us. The guards were all dead.
“I see you got them,” he said.
“Yes, and your friend is waiting for you below,” I said.
“Then we part ways?” he asked.
“For now.” I wasn’t sure if I was a hero or a monster, but my family was safe.
I could deal with Samuel another day.
A Word from Vincent Trigili
“The Null” is a stand-alone short story I wrote specifically for The Telepath Chronicles. If you have not yet read any of the Future Chronicles, then I highly suggest you check them out. Every one of them is a collection of masterpieces from some of today’s best authors.
I typically write Space Opera and Fantasy, but when I was invited to write for Telepath I decided to try something a little different. I find it helps keep my mind fresh if I break off from time to time and tell a different story in a different world. “The Null” is exactly that. I see it as a troubled superhero story, but many tell me it is more of a thriller. I will leave it to the reader to decide.
You can find out more about me and my Lost Tales of Power series by visiting: http://www.losttalesofpower.com
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The Assistant
by Angela Cavanaugh
AERYN SMILED as she signed copies of her books, promotional materials, and even a few print-outs of columns from her blog. In between fans, she checked the time on her phone, watching as the minutes refused to move. Finally, there came a lull in the line. She took the break, sat back, and unlocked her phone. She pulled up her blog and it was like she could breathe again. On the internet, she was an approachable, outgoing trendsetter with a loyal fan base. In real life, human interaction made her uncomfortable. At times, she wanted to live in her phone, to be able to close the whole world out, and do nothing but write.
She took a picture of the passing crowd, pulled up the admin page on her blog to write a new post, and scrolled her finger across the screen:
Can you believe this wonderful madness? Just look at all those people. It makes me happy to see so many people coming out for cons. Even my little booth has had a lot of attention today. It’s been great seeing everyone. I’m sad that I’m only here for one day, but I think that’s all I’d be able to handle, anyway. This place can be a bit overwhelming. Quite the adventure. I’ll be posting live all day, so remember to keep checking in for the latest updates. Tonight I’m excited to see an exclusive movie trailer, and I’ll be describing it for those of you that couldn’t be here.
As always, thanks for following.
She typed the usual sign-off of her personal posts and put the phone down. She looked up and noticed a man standing at her table. He was in his mid-forties and had medium length cinnamon sugar hair. He didn’t appear to have anything for her to sign. He waited silently for her to realize who he was.
"Dr. Barnes?" she asked.
"Good, you know who I am. I was getting worried there for a moment."
Aeryn stood up and shook his hand. Her mood shifted, and she was now beaming with excitement.
"Of course I know who you are. You’re the brains behind hundreds of innovations. You’re the man who’ll usher us into the next technological age."
"I’m just one of many."
"I’d love to interview you for my blog, if you had a couple minutes."
"I’d be happy to answer a few questions."
"What are you currently working on?"
"I assume that you’ve heard of neural augmentation."
"Only what I’ve been able to research, which isn’t much, actually. From what I’ve been able to gather, you’re working on a system called The Assistant. It’s supposed to be like Siri meets Google Glass, but implanted in your head."
"That’s a simplification. Yes, it’s a computer in your mind, with a display and search functions. But the system is so much more than that. It will change the way that people perceive and interact with the world."
"How so?"
"By connecting people across the world in ways that the internet has only started to touch. Imagine not needing a phone to call me, but instead being able to connect to my phone with your mind. And in time, being able to connect to anyone else’s mind who has the system. The Assistant makes it so that you don’t need to remember anything because
that knowledge is just a thought away. You’d be able to connect with your readers virtually, in real time, your eyes the camera, your ears your microphone, your thoughts typed up and posted. Imagine the opposite also being possible, a way for you to perfectly block out the rest of the world. Complete solitude to write in. You could write anytime, anywhere, no matter what you’re also doing."
She did.
"I’ll admit that sounds intriguing," she said, "but I just can’t fully imagine what that would be like."
"That’s where you come in, and why I’m here. How would you like to try it for yourself?"
"I don’t think I could afford a system like that."
"You wouldn’t have to. I’d like to offer you a free system in exchange for promotion. You could describe it better than I ever could and you could help get the market ready by writing about it."
Aeryn had to take a step back. She was excited about the offer, but hesitant to take it.
"Isn’t this system invasive?" she asked.
"Of course, it’s brain surgery. We install a small circuit on the side of your head, which is and always will be visible. That circuit is connected to a complex system that mimics neurons and creates its own network inside your brain. It’ll change your appearance and you’re basically sharing your brain. I’m not sure invasive begins to cover it."
"That’s not a great sell."
"I’m just trying to be honest with you as to what you can expect."
"I get why you’d think I’d be interested. My fans come to me to learn about cutting edge technology, and I use plenty of it in my novels. But what makes you think that I’d be willing to put myself through surgery for the next smartphone? Is it even being used in humans yet?"
"We’re finishing up clinical trials right now. To date, we’ve had nothing but success and the recovery from the surgery itself is only a day or two. This is no smartphone. The real reason I think you’d like it is because of the most useful feature, for which the system is named: The Assistant. It’s an advanced artificial intelligence based on your own brain."
"A digital imaginary friend?"
"Not at all imaginary. Your assistant will be able to interact with the world digitally through our existing infrastructure. Given permission, she could also interact with the world physically through the use of your body. She could be working out while you’re writing. She could be taking care of any of the things you find boring while your mind is free to create, or watch an internal video stream, however you want to fill your free time."
Aeryn considered his words and noticed a line starting to form behind him. He saw it too. He reached into his pocket and handed her his card.
"Think about it and let me know. We want to move fast on this. The Assistant should be ready for market within six months."
She took his card.
He could see the wheels turning in her head, and he smiled.
"I look forward to hearing from you," he said, and walked away.
* * *
Today is the day. After careful consideration, I have decided to get augmented. There is a part of me that is scared. Between my various blogs and my fiction and non-fiction writing, I’m having trouble keeping up. And I thank you all for that. But if I want to be competitive, I’ll need to be ahead of the curve. This is the future. I’m excited for the opportunity to be among the first adopters. I’ll update everyone after the procedure. Here’s to living on the cutting edge.
As always, thanks for following.
* * *
Aeryn turned her phone off and placed it in a plastic bag with the rest of her personal belongings, then handed the bag to the nurse. As the nurse carried it away, Aeryn couldn’t help but feel like she was saying goodbye to a piece of herself, or at least, a way of life. If the operation was all that it claimed to be, she’d have no need for her phone in the future.
Aeryn lay back on a raised, padded chair in the surgical suite. She shivered, partly due to the chilly air and paper gown that she wore and partly because the reality of the situation was setting in. A nurse stood beside her and shaved a small patch of hair just behind her ear. With her nerves on end, sensations were enhanced. The sound of the blade scraping against her skin echoed loudly in her ears.
She felt a prick in her arm. She tried to look, but was instructed to keep her head turned while the nurse finished shaving the spot on her head. The grainy sound of the razor ceased, and she was allowed to move. Another nurse had come in and was prepping her arm for the anesthetic.
Dr. Barnes arrived.
"Hello, doctor," she said.
"Hello, Aeryn. Ready to get this implant?"
"As much as I’ll ever be."
He pulled a wheeled computer terminal next to her chair. The station had a large screen and a number of controls alongside a keyboard.
He signaled to the anesthesiologist to give Aeryn the full dose of anesthetic. The injection burned as it entered her arm. Her mind swirled, and distantly, she heard the doctor asking her to count. She mumbled and saw the doctor work the joysticks. A set of surgical tools descended from the ceiling, attached to long, metal arms. The last thing she saw before the world went dark was the reflective blade heading toward her skull.
Aeryn woke up three hours later with a pain in her head and a nauseous feeling in her stomach.
"How are you feeling?" Dr. Barnes asked.
Aeryn emitted a gargled moan.
"I see," he said. "Take a couple of deep breaths in for me, hold them, and let them out slowly through your nose."
She closed her eyes and did as he asked. By her fourth breath, her stomach started to settle and the pain in her head subsided enough that she felt she could dare to fully open her eyes. Slowly the world came into focus, and she saw him standing by her bed.
"Good," he said.
He shined a light in her eyes and darted it back and forth.
"Looks good. Now, we need to check that your system is working. Feel up to it?"
"I think so," she mumbled.
"Repeat after me: Virtual Reality Assistant System 3.0.02 Activate."
She repeated his words.
"Now repeat: Owner Aeryn Sands - A.I. Complex Full Version Authorization Dr. Barnes."
She spoke his words back to him. As she reached the last one, she felt a small scrunching sensation inside her head. She closed her eyes reflexively, even though it was more of a discomfort than a pain. When she opened her eyes she saw a transparent blue menu overlay suspended in the air in front of her. The sight had a sobering effect and she shot straight up. A flurry of beeps sounded from the machines around her.
The doctor switched them off.
"I assume it’s working?" he asked.
Aeryn nodded and the display moved with her head. She raised a hand to try and touch it, then sighed at her momentary stupidity.
"What you should be seeing right now is the initial interaction settings menu. Here is where you can set your preferences for how you’d like to interact with the artificial intelligence of your implant."
"Do I just tell it what to do?"
"At first, most people talk out loud to their system and avatar as if they were using a voice search on their phone. Short, telegraphing sentences. But once you’re comfortable, you’ll find that you can speak conversationally. Eventually, as the system spreads through your brain, making its own connections and mapping your neural structure, it should be able to learn from habit and observation, and preform actions based on thoughts you haven’t even fully formed."
"I’ll be able to think and it’ll do?"
"Exactly. But, like I said, the system has to learn your brain patterns first. For now, just talk. Try giving a command."
Aeryn read the menu. The option she was interested in was the assistant.
"I hope this won’t be creepy," she said. "Activate Avatar."
The display disappeared and a transparent version of herself stood before her.
"It looks like me," she said.
; "Initially, yes," the doctor said, "but you can change it to look however you want."
A written question loomed over the image, asking her to confirm her avatar. Aeryn studied the virtual duplicate. She wouldn’t have thought to pick someone that looked just like her, but now that she saw it, she couldn’t bear to destroy this digital version of herself.
"This is fine," she said. "Avatar Confirmed."
Another question appeared, asking her if she’d like to name her new Neural Integrated Assistant.
"Name NIA," she said. "Confirm."
"NIA?" the doctor asked. "Oh, interesting choice."
The doctor gave Aeryn a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"The nurse will stay with you while you recover. Then we’ll get you moved to a room for observation overnight. Tomorrow, you and NIA will be headed home. Let’s set an appointment for you to follow up with me. Until then, the system should be able to answer any questions that you have."
* * *
Once home, Aeryn went to the mirror to study her incision. She turned her head and saw part of the flashing implant flush with her skin. She tried to see it more clearly, but couldn’t turn her head enough. She probed her pockets for her phone. It wasn’t there. Remembering that it was still in a bag with the other items from the hospital, she started to get it. As she turned, she saw her avatar pop up behind her, reflected in the mirror. The sudden presence startled her.
"Why are you searching for your phone?" NIA asked.
"How do you know that’s what I was doing?" Aeryn asked.
"Your thought pattern told me."
Aeryn was unnerved. She reminded herself that this wasn’t a real person reading her mind.
"I’ve made you uncomfortable," NIA said.
The voice sounded like her thoughts, only she wasn’t thinking them.
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